(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to vehicular axle repair methods and apparatus/systems relating to the same. They are intended as further advancements from Applicant's original disclosures in his U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,792,080 and 5,125,146. It should be noted, however, that the latter patent was primarily designed for drive axle repair whereas this invention's focus is on a system and method for truck and trailer rear axle spindle replacement. These improvements are applicable to trailer axle repairs and certain drive axles with welded on brake spiders. They are specially suited for performing a truck axle spindle replacement at the actual axle failure site.
(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98
This system is an improvement over Applicant's earlier patented method for replacing rear axle spindles as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,146. This enhanced system has more adapters for fitting newer vehicles. The equipment is for a new, much improved alignment system that makes it easier for just one person doing this type of work to properly align the parts being replaced (rather than repaired) in situ, i.e., out on the road and not in a typical repair shop. Applicant makes no claims for using this new equipment for doing other jobs only replacing spindles on full floating spindles that are tubes, i.e., NOT solid shafts. Such tubular spindles are on trucks ¾ ton and larger, RV's, semi trailers and off road equipment, and other similar sized/type vehicles.
When a truck, trailer or any type of vehicle has a bearing failure on a full floating axle and damages the spindle, it is very expensive to replace the axle . . . with a lot of downtime. A person skilled at welding and using the equipment of this invention can complete such repairs, via full replacement, in most cases the next day and with no machining.
What separates Applicant's equipment from his competitors is that with the present invention, there is NO need for machining or boring the axle housing out to remove metal from inside of the axle housing to get that inside round. Such machining/boring makes the resultant axle housing weaker. The competitors then cut holes in those housings and insert the spindles (and other parts) into the weaker parts of those housings. They claim to make parts better than new and/or make it easier to replace the spindles because they are screwed into parts inserted into the machined/bored housing that were done wrong in the first place.
To understand what separates Applicant's invention from his competitors is to understand how such axles are manufactured. The larger percent of axle with spindles that are “full floating” are fabricated out of steel with all of the parts making up the axle being welded. The tubular spindles are then butt welded to that axle. With butt-welding, these one-piece spindles maintain their strength and flexibility. Such manufacturing means have been used to fabricate axle housings of these types for decades.
The steel axles on your average, everyday truck, trailer and/or others vehicle make up the larger percentage of axles on the road. There is still a small percent of axles on some trucks and buses that have inserted spindles, such spindles being pressed into a heavy cast steel housing. Unlike steel parts that are pressed into their housings, such pressed steel parts can flex and not have the holding power as cast steel or cast iron. That is why one should not insert spindles into those housings.
The enhanced on-location (i.e., off site, roadside) system of this invention can replace tubular spindles on steel full floating axles in much the same way that they were originally manufactured. The most important part of doing this type of work is a one-piece spindle that maintains its proper alignment.
When Applicant is on the job (in the field or at an off-site, roadside repair site) using the correct spindles, he first saws off the damaged spindle and grinds a bevel on the housing. Next, he attaches re-alignment equipment on the housing, checks all measurements and clamps on his jig fixture that holds the spindles onto the alignment plate. Then he checks the measurements once more before stitch welding the spindles onto the housing. After checking the measurements yet again, he removes the alignment equipment and finishes welding using engineering techniques to eliminate any stress and maintain the alignment. The equipment of this invention makes that job much easier, maintains alignment and helps the repairer achieve strengths more consistent with the way the parts were originally manufactured.
This invention addresses an improvement over known methods and devices for usually just repair truck and trailer drive axles, especially those having one or more brake spider welded to them. This improvement uses a plurality of studs, rather than just C-clamps for holding the parts together for welding. This improvement further includes a rocket ship jig brake bolt for better stabilization when aligning all the components prior to welding. And for the replacement of drive axles, this invention uses an adapter plate and plurality of adapter bushings/spacers that enable self-centering. This is especially useful for newer trucks and trailers that are: using disc brakes or mainly designed for drum brakes.
This invention employs new adapter plates with holes that match the bolt patterns for smaller trucks for a newer housing configuration. In one embodiment, it makes the parts automatically “parallel” for welding purposes for better welding alignments. The adapter plate automatically squares up and then gets clamped or bolted to the machined flange. And now, the rocket ship jig is meant to clamp on only after the adapter plate for the trailer axle is manually aligned at three to four different locations.